House of Zierotin

), later renamed "Žerotínové".

According of romantic legend, the Zierotins were offspring from prince Oleg, brother of Vladimir I of Kiev, and thereupon family uses in coat of arms royal crown (or more properly crown of Grand Prince) and princely mantling. Blason of coat of arms is gules a lion sable crowned or on three mountains argent, in crest is on royal crown lion sable rampart crowned or.

Members of family were judges, governors, patrons of arts and politicians. Most famous is Karel Older of Zierotin (1564 - 1636), head of the moravian nobility during Thirty Years' War, friend of Henry IV of France and brother-in-law of Albrecht of Wallenstein. Other interesting members were Johan Karl von Zierotin (1719 - 1776) directeur des spectacles of Frederick II of Prussia and friend of Johann Sebastian Bach, Karel Emanuel of Zierotin (1850 - 1934), peer of Austrian Empire and governor of Moravia (1900 - 1906), and Ladislav Velen of Zierotin (1579 - 1638), head of uprising against Habsburgs.

Today estates (manor Bludov) passed to family Mornstein-Zierotin.

References

* [http://www.bludov.cz/O-Bludove/Historie-obce-Bludov/ History of Bludow (in Czech)]
* [http://www.ahn-cr.info/heraldicka_galerie/z/zierotinove.htm Family coat of arms]